This invention relates to a lockable meter retention ring, and more particularly to a meter retention ring for securing a meter in a meter box and adapted to receive a lock preventing the removal of the meter retention ring, thereby protecting the meter against tampering.
Electric meters are connected in power lines supplying electrical power to buildings, the electrical meters measuring the amount of power supplied. A meter box is provided which contains a set of terminals in the power line, and the electric meter plugs into the terminals, connecting them and measuring the current flow through the power line. The meter box defines a groove adjacent the periphery of the electric meter, and the meter itself defines a shoulder along its periphery adjacent the meter box.
Low-security protection against electric meter tampering is often provided by a steel split ring having inwardly disposed parallel flanges, the inner one of which is accepted in the peripheral groove in the meter box and the outer one of which fits over the shoulder of the electric meter, thereby securing the electric meter in the meter box. The steel split ring also comprises two protruding end portions which are secured together by a machine screw. A seal, such as a wire/lead or wire/plastic seal, is passed through openings in the ends of the steel split ring. In order to remove or tamper with the electric meter, the seal has to be broken, and this should be detected by a meter reader through periodic inspection. However, simple seals have proven to be inadequate protection against theft of electric power through tampering with electric meters. The seals can be discreetly severed in ways that are not apparent without close inspection, or can be forcibly removed and replaced with stolen or counterfeit seals prior to inspection by a meter reader. As the cost of electricity escalates, more people are tempted to tamper with electric meters to avoid paying for the entire amount of electrical power used. In addition, the monetary losses to utilities for each unit of electrical power which is not billed and paid for because of electric meter tampering also escalates.
In view of the foregoing problems, various devices for locking the steel split ring in its position securing the electric meter to the meter box were developed. One such locking device is shown in Morse U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,822, the device comprising a pendant-like yoke which fits over the protruding ends of the split ring and receives a barrel lock that passes through openings in the ends of the split ring to retain the yoke thereon. The yoke encloses ends of the split ring and the machine screw holding the ends of the split ring together, as well as the lock itself, whereby the ring cannot be removed. Another similar device is shown in Lundberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,585. Further improvements to such locking devices have included providing a front entry opening for the barrel lock, thereby simplifying installation of the locking device in multiple meter installations as well as providing for easier inspection of the integrity of the locking device.
However, all of the devices which enclose the split ends of the traditional meter retention ring are somewhat cumbersome and expensive to make, and are essentially add-on devices. They have, by necessity of their design, cracks between the ring and the yoke which can be attacked with pry bars to remove the devices. The split rings themselves cannot be as strong as would be desirable because they must be spread to fit them over the meter, and stronger steels are incompatible with this requirement. Therefore, the prior art devices have been less than satisfactory in many respects.
One other prior art device is pertinent to this application, namely an electric meter seal which comprises a two-piece plastic flanged collar which assembles together to form an inner meter retention ring, and a plastic outer ring which snaps over the two-piece plastic collar. The outer ring holds the two-piece plastic flanged collar together, thereby retaining the electric meter in the meter box. The plastic outer ring is breakable and must be broken in order to disassemble the two-piece plastic collar and free the electric meter for removal. Thus, this device is very much more in the nature of a seal than a lock, is easily defeated by force, and also offers opportunity for being surreptitiously removed or removed and replaced with stolen or unauthorized parts.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved means for securing an electric meter in an associated meter box so that tampering with the electric meter by force or stealth is made highly difficult.